American man falls to his death from 12th-floor condo

An American man fell to his death from his condominium on the 12th floor early Wednesday morning.

Police said James Robert Mondy, 56, felled from his room on the 12th floor of the 17-storey VP Tower on Soi Rangnam in Rajthevi district at 1 am.

His Thai wife, Duangta, 28, told police that she went to bed when the man was reading his emails and she was woken up by his shout, saying "I'm power."

She said she saw her husband jump down.

She said she has been living with him for three years.

Source: The Nation - 10 October 2007

humm...looks a little suspicious to me. i think there should be a law that any farang who who shacks-up with a thai girl cannot rent/buy an apartment/condo higher than the 1st floor of any building

nice to read that the "flying foreigner" phenomenon is not limited to my little town of pattaya

There hasn't been many of these lately. For a while it seemed like a couple a week.

A bit strange though that she remembers the exact words that woke her up.

These stories strike me as a tad odd. Would be interesting to know if this chap had a history of mental illness. I just can't picture a 56 yr old male taking hallucinogenics either. The autopsy results will indicate if he was on drugs or liquored up. Until then I'm not going to assume that his daughter, err I mean g/f pushed him.

There hasn't been many of these lately. For a while it seemed like a couple a week.

A bit strange though that she remembers the exact words that woke her up.

I was thinking the same, and the words used don't really sound like what a native speaker might say. Maybe, I'm just being cynical, but something smells fishy.

I'm more interested in what the emails said.

Words like "I'm power." dont make sense - could it have

been "I'm over." - after reading something in his email?

I don't believe that an American would speak pidgeon English before hurling himself off a building. The witness if innocent would have been better off not mentioning this utterance.

I don't believe that an American would speak pidgeon English before hurling himself off a building. The witness if innocent would have been better off not mentioning this utterance.

i would'nt think anything suspicious any where else in the world ,but here in thailand 1st thought ,he was pushed ,sad that i and others think this way

Unbelievable - give her a break.

Unbelievable - give her a break.

Why? She is the prime suspect and she should be the prime suspect.

Why would he shout anything if his wife was asleep, unless of course someone else was trying to help him !

Maybe he had a bad dream and thought he was He-Man and his skinny Thai girl was Skeletor?

Unbelievable - give her a break.

Why? She is the prime suspect and she should be the prime suspect.

No she isn't, and why should the man's wife be a suspect?

humm...looks a little suspicious to me. i think there should be a law that any farang who who shacks-up with a thai girl cannot rent/buy an apartment/condo higher than the 1st floor of any building

thanks for my first chuckle of the day

Words like "I'm power." dont make sense - could it have

been "I'm over." - after reading something in his email?

Here are some spin on what he might have said:

1. "I'm Power" in a physics/metaphysical contect - somewhat like Einstein saying 'we are all energy' (I don't know, did Einstein say that?).

2. I'm powerful

3. It's over

4. I'm empowered

Methinks there's got to be more to the story. Any witnesses, anyone hear an argument? what is the couples' history? did the guy just take out an insurance policy or change of legal papers? Our ever-inept boys in brown should be able to find interesting clues (I jest). Put Ms Porntip on the case. Anyone else will come up with a report headed by three words: 'mai pen rai'

A few years ago, a farang man in northernmost Thailand was in the process of adjusting the legal status of his house which was purchased (surprise) in his wife's name. A few days later he was shot dead while his wife was qualifiably and conveniently in a nearby town. Did the cops find evidence to prosecute? Did the cops indict anyone? If you're familiar with Thailand, you know the answers to those questions are zip, nothing, nada, no incrimimating evidence, case closed, mai pen rai. Detectives probably spent a full ten minutes investigating the site, and then went out to eat some congealed pig's blood with a side order of toasted maggots.

humm...looks a little suspicious to me. i think there should be a law that any farang who who shacks-up with a thai girl cannot rent/buy an apartment/condo higher than the 1st floor of any building

nice to read that the "flying foreigner" phenomenon is not limited to my little town of pattaya

Another wanna be Superman story. I wonder if he had a little help from his lady's Thai boyfriend? I had one such boyfriend, who was hiding under her bed, try to shove me toward the apt balcony. Fortunately for me, he lost the shoving match.

Unbelievable - give her a break.

Why? She is the prime suspect and she should be the prime suspect.

No she isn't, and why should the man's wife be a suspect?

Another poster living in Fantasyland.

You need to keep in mind that this was likely said in English to a sleepy Thai and the same distraught Thai reported it to police in Thai, the police briefed the press in Thai and the Nation are not known for their prowess with English. To expect clarity and coherence is ambitious; to draw assumptions based on two words is asinine.

Unbelievable - give her a break.

Why? She is the prime suspect and she should be the prime suspect.

No she isn't, and why should the man's wife be a suspect?

Another poster living in Fantasyland.

If I jump out my bedroom window, will you accuse my wife of being a murderess?

If you jump out your window, would you want us to accuse your wife?

The spouse is always the top suspect all over the world. It doesn't mean she is guilty. It also doesn't mean that she is innocent. We don't know whether this was a murder or a suicide. If it is a murder, statistically, those closest to the victim are most often the perps. It would be very poor police work indeed to not have a close look at the wife.

Unbelievable - give her a break.

Why? She is the prime suspect and she should be the prime suspect.

No she isn't, and why should the man's wife be a suspect?

Another poster living in Fantasyland.

If I jump out my bedroom window, will you accuse my wife of being a murderess?

If you jump out your window, would you want us to accuse your wife?

It just happens that I was watching some crime show on tv last night and the Detective who was investigating the death of some guys wife where the husband was under suspicion said " Before you go looking for the outlaws , you should check the inlaws first "

American man falls to his death from 12th-floor condo

An American man fell to his death from his condominium on the 12th floor early Wednesday morning.

Police said James Robert Mondy, 56, felled from his room on the 12th floor of the 17-storey VP Tower on Soi Rangnam in Rajthevi district at 1 am.

His Thai wife, Duangta, 28, told police that she went to bed when the man was reading his emails and she was woken up by his shout, saying "I'm power."

She said she saw her husband jump down.

She said she has been living with him for three years.

Source: The Nation - 10 October 2007

Perhaps what he shouted was " im potless " and she then had no use for him so it was a flying lesson for our friend !

Unbelievable - give her a break.

Why? She is the prime suspect and she should be the prime suspect.

No she isn't, and why should the man's wife be a suspect?

Another poster living in Fantasyland.

If I jump out my bedroom window, will you accuse my wife of being a murderess?

If you jump out your window, would you want us to accuse your wife?

It just happens that I was watching some crime show on tv last night and the Detective who was investigating the death of some guys wife where the husband was under suspicion said " Before you go looking for the outlaws , you should check the inlaws first "

That is very good and must be true in los !

Seriously Neeranam, DANG BUDDY WASSUP WIT YOU? I think in any country in the world the closest person (in proximity)will be at least a tiny bit suspect in a jumping case where there is no reason for the person to jump. (i.e. no mental illness history) She should be the prime suspect because she was RIGHT THERE. If she was Canadian I would say the same thing.

Damian Mavis

Unbelievable - give her a break.

Why? She is the prime suspect and she should be the prime suspect.

No she isn't, and why should the man's wife be a suspect?

Another poster living in Fantasyland.

Please keep the personal attacks and flaming out of this thread.

Seriously Neeranam, DANG BUDDY WASSUP WIT YOU? I think in any country in the world the closest person (in proximity)will be at least a tiny bit suspect in a jumping case where there is no reason for the person to jump. (i.e. no mental illness history) She should be the prime suspect because she was RIGHT THERE. If she was Canadian I would say the same thing.

Damian Mavis

Surely it would be better to check for mental illness first before throwing accusations like murder around.

Nobody is accusing her of murder, however her unusual story and proximity to the victim warrant looking further into it.

Any photos of the man - I used to know that building very well and the name sounds familiar.

Has anybody else noticed that the "suicides with a plastic bag over the head" have completely stopped for quite a while now?

All guard fences should be a mininmum of 2 meters high with steel mesh and a kick rail. This would prevent people leaning over and thus being on the point of balance and "heave ho away I go" (or you) as the case may be.

Happened in Australia to a footballer on the 22/F of a Gold coast hotel a few days ago.